Labour Law

Labour ministry plans scheme to extend benefits to gig and platform workers

The Ministry of Labour & Employment is working on a scheme to provide various benefits like social security to gig and platform workers in the country, a senior official said on Wednesday. Addressing the CII Global Economic Policy Forum, Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra said the labour code on social security has outlined social security benefits for them. "We are putting together the scheme for the gig and platform economy workers because there is no traditional employer-employee relationship defined for the gig and platform workers but we need to bring social security coverage for them so that they can be more productive and support the country's economy and the e-commerce and services sector more effectively," she said. In October, Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that a policy for providing social security benefits like pension and health services to gig and platform workers is under process. He had also said that Niti Aayog has estimated 65 lakh gig and ...

EY worker's death highlights risks for unprotected white-collar workers

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Authorities in two Indian states that are driving its economic growth are drafting tighter workplace rules and inspections to protect white collar employees following the death of a young executive at global consultancy Ernst & Young (EY), which her family blamed on overwork.

Cong MP calls for law to ensure fair wages, job security for gig workers

Congress MP B Mannickam Tagore Wednesday called for legislation to protect gig economy workers by ensuring fair wages, job security and social benefits for them. He raised the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, highlighting the plight of gig economy workers, which he termed a human rights issue rather than a labour issue. "I want to bring your attention to the plight of gig economy workers particularly those at Amazon India, including the warehouse staff and delivery persons who are protesting against unfair wages and unsafe working conditions. These workers earn less than Rs 10,000 a month while enduring long hours and immense pressure. "Amazon claims to offer PF and insurance but the reality is far from these promises. The ongoing protest during the Black Friday event underscores the inequality in our economy and exploitation faced by these workers," he said. The MP from Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu said it is "our duty to stand with our workers and push for a meaningful ...

Five states not ready with draft rules on 3 labour codes: Labour minister

Five states are yet to pre-publish draft rules under three codes on Industrial Relations, Social Security and Occupational Safety, Parliament was informed on Monday. Four states or Union Territories have also not pre-publish draft rules on Code on Wages, 2019, required to bring labour reforms in the country, showed a written reply by Minister of State for Labour & Employment Shobha Karandlaje in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The minister explained that 'Labour' as a subject is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and under the Codes, the power to make rules has been entrusted to the central government and state governments. As a step towards the implementation of four Labour Codes, she informed that the central government has pre-published the draft rules. After notifying the Codes, the government has undertaken three tripartite consultations on the draft Central Rules under all four Codes on December 21, 2020, January 12, 2021 and January 20, 2021. As per available information,

California voters weigh action on shoplifting, forced labour, minimum wage

California voters will decide on 10 ballot measures including one that would turn some nonviolent crimes, like shoplifting, into felonies again, and another that would make the state's minimum wage the highest in the nation. Here's a look at some of the most consequential propositions being put before voters: Proposition 36 This would make shoplifting a felony for repeat offenders and increase penalties for some drug charges, including those involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl. It also would give judges the authority to order people with multiple drug charges to get treatment. Proponents say the initiative is necessary to close loopholes that have made it challenging for law enforcement to punish shoplifters and drug dealers. The measure will also help the state address the homelessness and drug crises, they say. Opponents, including Democratic state leaders and social justice groups, say it would disproportionately imprison poor people and those with substance use issues rath

Anatomy of trade union: Collective bargaining, realising workers' strength

Since India is a member of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), it has to provide representation to the workers in various forums that involve tripartite discussions

Centre, states likely to review labour code rollout at December meet

Last year, a study released by a government agency - V V Giri National Labour Institute- had said that the rules framed by various states and UTs under the new labour codes have "too much" divergence

Toxic work culture and overwork: Why employee grievance redressal matters

Laws like the Shops and Establishment Act should be emphasised in employee induction programmes. Companies must also provide accessible grievance redress mechanisms

New labour codes set for rollout as 25 states finalise draft rules. Details

The remaining three states, including West Bengal, which had previously raised concerns about the codes, have now agreed to draft the necessary subordinate legislation to enforce them

Amazon hit with US labour board complaint over joint employment of drivers

The board had said in August that it had found merit to the union's claims that Amazon exerts control over BTS drivers

US labour board accuses Apple of imposing illegal workplace rules

The complaint accuses Apple of "interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees in the exercise of" their rights under federal labour law

US labour board accuses Amazon of illegally refusing to bargain with union

The NLRB in the complaint, which was issued on Monday, said Amazon broke the law by terminating its contract with BTS after the drivers unionized without first bargaining with the Teamsters

US labour board accuses Apple of imposing unlawful workplace rules

The complaint accuses Apple of "interfering with, restraining, and coercing employees in the exercise of" their rights under federal labor law

Samsung labour strike puts spotlight on politically-backed worker group

A strike of this scale - which impacts production - is not common in India's electronics industry

Air Canada urges govt to intervene as labour dispute with pilots grows

Canada's largest airline and business leaders on Thursday urged the federal government to intervene in labour talks with its pilots in hopes of avoiding a shutdown, but the labour minister said the two sides should negotiate a deal. Air Canada spokesman Christophe Hennebelle said that the airline is committed to negotiations, but it faces wage demands from the Air Line Pilots Association it can't meet. The issue is that we are faced with unreasonable wage demands that ALPA refuses to moderate, he said. The union representing 5,200 pilots says Air Canada continues to post record profits while expecting pilots to accept below-market compensation. The airline and its pilots have been in contract talks for more than a year. The pilots want to be paid wages competitive with their U.S. counterparts. The two sides will be in a position starting Sunday to issue a 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout. The airline has said the notice would trigger its three-day wind down plan and start the

Over 2,700 lawyers got assistance under AAP's insurance scheme: Atishi

Families of more than 200 deceased lawyers received financial assistance of over Rs 15 crore while more than 2,500 lawyers and their families availed the benefit of medical insurance under a scheme launched by Kejriwal government in 2019, Delhi Law Minister Atishi said on Saturday. The minister said that the AAP government has been fulfilling all responsibilities towards lawyers. Speaking at the 17th foundation day of Dwarka district court, Atishi said that the Kejriwal government is the first government in the country to give up to 200 units of free electricity to lawyers for their chambers . Under the chief minister advocate welfare scheme, the Kejriwal government gave term insurance of Rs 10 lakh and medical insurance of Rs 5 lakh to the lawyers. Till now, about 28,000 lawyers have enrolled in the chief minister advocate welfare scheme. This scheme proved to be very helpful for the lawyers during Corona, she shared. She said that in 2019, the Kejriwal government started the Chi

Female workforce, employee welfare to drive inclusive growth: Labour secy

Decriminalization of labour laws, increasing female workforce participation, social security, labour welfare will drive inclusive growth in the country, a senior government official said on Thursday. Secretary for Ministry of Labour & Employment Sumita Dawra made the remarks at an industry interaction organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Employers' Federation of India (EFI) in Bengaluru. In the session attended by 200 industry members, "Sumita Dawra...highlighted about the Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business reforms introduced by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, GoI. She emphasised on decriminalization of labour laws, increasing female workforce participation, social security, labour welfare that will drive inclusive growth in India," a CII statement said. Dawra also mentioned on employment, an improving trend is evidenced by PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey) & KLEMS data, besides EPFO net subscribers have gone up by more than 6 crore since ..

Australian workers can legally ignore work calls now: Find out why

Australia introduces new 'Right to Disconnect' laws: Find out what it means for workers and employers

Fresh formal hirings face marginal decline in June, shows EPFO data

The data is signalling a slowdown in the formal labour market

Centre seeks legal path for labour codes amid state opposition: Report

The move comes amid West Bengal's hesitation to adopt the new labour codes which were introduced to improve the ease of doing business by the Centre